Rail fastening



L. MANNABERG RAIL FASTENING Filed June 12, 1941 FIG.

Oct, 21,1942.

NVENTOR MM Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAIL FASTENING Leopold Mannaberg, Roanoke, Va.

Application June 12, 1941, Serial No. 397,695

4 Claims.

This invention relates to rail fastenings, and more particularly to rail fastenings in which the rail is supported not by wooden crossties, but ties or chairs of concrete, iron, or any other fit material. 4

For more than thirty years, attempts have been made to eliminate the costly and vulnerable wooden crossties used by railways and to replace them by a more resistant material such as concrete or iron. Heretofore, these attempts have not been successful because it was impossible to adjust the usual rail fastenings to the new material.

In carrying out my invention, it is my purpose to circumvent these difiiculties by giving full and primary consideration to the qualities of concrete and iron. In order for the rail to be successfully fastened to supports made of these or like materials lacking in softness and responding elasticity, the fastening must provide the compensation. In other words, the coupling must be loose rather than tight, in order that the rail may give with respect to its support when the rail is subjected to the pounding of the car wheels. Such a loose coupling is provided by means hereinafter described, the coupling permitting movement of the rail with respect to its support. At the same time, of course, such movement must be confined within the limits of safety.

With the above objects in view, the rail is secured from lateral shifting and from excessive tilting under the influence of the flanges of the rolling wheels. The first purpose is achieved by the usual bearing l on top of the chair 2. The two shoulders 3 confine or limit the lateral movements of the rail 4.

The second problem has been solved by a special device. The base of the rail has been developed into a dovetailed rib 5, which fits comfortably into a groove 6, provided in the rail bearing. When the flanges of the rolling wheels push the head of the rail, the rail is in danger of being tilted. This danger is eliminated by the above mentioned rib and groove, because the Walls of the groove make it impossible for this to occur to any dangerous extent. Nevertheless the rail is fastened in every respect without the use of the usual spikes, screws, or bolts.

The attached drawing shows the use of my invention on a concrete chair supporting the rail.

Figtue 1 is a vertical cross section through the rail and tie rod with the chair in elevation, illustrating the arrangement of the groove with the rail'rib in it. Two chairs of this kind are expected to replace the heads of the wooden tie. Their cross connection is obtained by rods of forged iron 1, extending from one chair to the other and fastened to them by means of a ledge 8, running along the inner border of the chair.

Figure 2, an elevation, shows the front of the ledge 8 with the rod 7 bent around it.

Figure 3 shows the ledge with the rod from above. To protect the chair from the first shock of the pounding wheels, cushions 9 can be provided on the rail hearing. In being placed, the chairs have to be pushed over the suspended rail and then put down with the rail in their proper places; or the chairs are brought into their places first and then the rail pushed along like threading a needle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. A rail and rail supporting means, comprising in combination, a rail having a head, Web, and a base having supporting flanges; a dovetail rib running longitudinally of the rail on said base; supporting means having a dovetail groove loosely accommodating said rib and sufiiciently larger in size than the rib to permit movement of said rail while confining said movement within safety limits.

2. Means according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is composed of non-resilient material.

3. A rail and rail supporting means, comprising in combination, a rail having a head, web, and a base having supporting flanges; a dovetail rib running longitudinally of the rail on said base; supporting means having a bearing seat for said supporting flanges and shoulders confining the sides of said flanges from lateral shifting, and a dovetail groove loosely accommodating said rib and sufliciently larger in size than the rib to permit tilting movement of said rail while confining the same within safety limits.

4. Means according to claim 3, wherein the supporting means is provided with resilient cushions located in the bearing seat beneath the rail flanges.

LEOPOLD MANNABERG. 

